Didi's postseason status for Yankees in doubt

Shortstop has cortisone injection after tearing cartilage in right wrist

By
Bryan Hoch

September 23, 2018

NEW YORK -- The run that punched the Yankees' ticket into the American League Wild Card Game may have come at a significant cost. Didi Gregorius could miss the remainder of the season after an MRI performed on Sunday morning revealed torn cartilage in the shortstop's right wrist.Gregorius said he

NEW YORK -- The run that punched the Yankees' ticket into the American League Wild Card Game may have come at a significant cost. Didi Gregorius could miss the remainder of the season after an MRI performed on Sunday morning revealed torn cartilage in the shortstop's right wrist.Gregorius said he sustained the injury sliding headfirst into home plate on Aaron Hicks' 11th-inning walk-off double in New York's victory over the Orioles on Saturday. Gregorius had a cortisone injection in the wrist on Sunday and said he is hopeful that he can still participate in the postseason push."It's really frustrating; now I'm not playing," Gregorius said after the Yankees' 6-3 loss to the Orioles on Sunday. "We're going to take it day to day. We'll see how far it goes, but I have some movement in there. They say things like this happen to other players. Some of them have played through it. We're going to see how it goes. If it feels better, I'll be back in there so we can still make that playoff decision."

Gregorius said that his right wrist got stuck underneath him when he slid toward the plate, perhaps getting lodged in a divot left by a right-handed batter. He did not feel any pain after the play or during the Yankees' clubhouse celebration, but the wrist "wasn't feeling good" on Sunday morning, prompting Gregorius to report it to the trainers."He's an important part of our lineup," said Hicks, who was unaware of the injury until Gregorius mentioned it on Sunday morning. "He's a guy that we rely on day in and day out to play Gold Glove defense. He's an important piece to our team."The tear is "a small one," according to Gregorius, who said that the prospect of surgery has not been raised at this time. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Gregorius will be re-evaluated in a few days, and said that he is "unsure" if the Yankees will get Gregorius back this year.

"There's a real possibility we do. There's also a possibility that we don't," Boone said. "We'll know a lot more in a few days when we see how the wrist responds to the cortisone shot."In Gregorius' absence, Boone suggested that Adeiny Hechavarria's playing time will increase, though Gleyber Torres could also see time at shortstop against certain matchups."Didi's a great player and obviously I think everyone in this room understands how important he is to this team," Boone said. "He's kind of an anchor for us defensively in the infield and obviously what he brings from the left side of the plate. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Asked for his level of optimism that he will play again in 2018, Gregorius said, "It's still high. I have more motion now. We put the cortisone shot into it. It's feeling good. It's feeling better."The 28-year-old is batting .268/.336/.498 with 27 home runs, 86 RBIs and 10 stolen bases through 132 games this season. He missed 16 games with a left heel contusion after being placed on the disabled list Aug. 21."I always play through pain," Gregorius said. "No one plays this game 100 percent healthy. I think there are some things you've got to fight through. You always want to be out there for your team. That's the important part. If other guys see that and you're battling through stuff, you want to help the team win, that's appreciated from everybody."